This battle to get to grips with painting in egg tempera is really turning out to be a testing experience. I am very grateful for the fact that today I have not been able to do anything artistic because of social and family commitments elsewhere. I can stand back and take stock …. and even not think about it at all for a day. Frankly, I have been on the verge of writing it off as a silly idea, and chucking it all in. On reflection, however, that does seem a little bit like throwing the toys out of the pram. So I will be trying to stand back and take stock, and shed light on some of my technical problems by additional reading before leaping in again. After all, the perils of re-inventing the wheel are well-documented! I ought to take a lesson from the fact that my experience with pastels was acquired in part through a succession of courses over several years, and I can’t tell you for how many years I’ve been attending life-drawing classes. Perhaps instead of believing that it is the medium that is driving my crazy it is my own impatience.